The Foundation Center has launched Transparency Talk, a new blog and podcast series on the website glasspockets.org. Featuring expert insights, practical examples and innovative proposals from some of the most forward-thinking leaders in philanthropy, Transparency Talk addresses a wide range of topics – from the development of online knowledge centres to the value of sharing failures.

With Transparency Talk, the Foundation Center advances its efforts to:

• inspire private foundations to be more open in their communications;
• increase understanding of best practices in foundation transparency and accountability;
• illustrate how institutional philanthropy is relevant to the critical issues of our time;
• illuminate successes and challenges in the philanthropic sector.

Transparency Talk was launched just before the one-year anniversary of Glasspockets, a Foundation Center website that now includes profiles of 22 foundations that have taken the ‘who has glass pockets?’ assessment. Recently added features include a transparency ‘heat map’, which charts the degree to which some of the largest foundations are making their activities accessible to the public, and a real-time feed of grant reporting online using the new Grantsfire technology.

Collectively, the aim is that these tools and resources will enable the sector to be more self-aware, foster understanding among the general public, and build the collective wisdom about the transformative capacity of philanthropy.

For more information
http://www.glasspockets.org

If you would like to be a guest contributor to Transparency Talk, or if your foundation would like to submit a profile for the ‘who has glass pockets?’ feature, email glasspockets@foundationcenter.org. Contributions are welcome from all over the world.